Electric upsetting apparatus



July 19 1932. BENEDETTQ 1,867,936

ELECTRIC UPSETTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1932. BENEDETTQ ELECTRIC UPSETTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 11, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3 G. BENEDETTO 1,867,936

ELECTRIC UPSETT ING APPARATUS File d Sept. 11, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wn /WMK/M Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STTES GIUSEI PE BENEDETTO, OF NOVARA, ITALY, ASSIGNOR TO THE OIJIES HOLDING COM- PANY LIMITED, 03 LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY ELECTRIC UPSETTING AE' IPARATUS Application filed September- 11, 1930, Serial No. 481,335, and in Italy September 14, 1929.

This invention comprises improvements in orrelating to electric upsetting apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric upsetting machine J which is capable of upsetting enlarged portions or heads upon two ends of a piece of metal.

he present inventioncomprises in an electric upsetting apparatus the combination of two opposed anvils, means to hold a workpiece so that it extends between the anvils, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face Where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously. In this way the pressures of the two anvils upon the work are arranged to balance one another and the means for holding the work in position does not as in ordinary machines have to exert any longitudinal force on the work.

The means for holding the work between the anvils may comprise vice jaws so movable that as upsetting proceeds the distance of the nearest effective gripping point of the vice jaws from the initial position of the anvil is increased. In other words an increased amount of metal is provided between the vice jaws and the anvil by withdrawal of the jaws from their original position and in this way as the metal between the vice andtheanvil is compressed additional metal is provided to permit a larger head to be upset than would be the case if the vice jaws were fixed relatively to the workpiece.

In one construction multiple pairs of vice jaws are provided for gripping the work, the jaws being movable transversely to the line of approach of the anvils and means are provided for withdrawing from engagement with the work as the anvils approach those pairs of vice jaws which lie nearest to the anvils leaving a central pair of vice jaws still in engagement with the work. It would alternatively be possible to employ two pairs of vice jaws which engage the work at separate points along its length and during advance of the anvils are caused to move towards one another.

Preferably one at least of the aws ofeach vice is movable under the influence-0f a power-operated plunger (for example a fluidoperated plunger) for the purpose of closing the vice jaws and conveniently placed control means may be provided for operating the pairs of vice jaws which lie nearest to the anvils simultaneously so that as the anvils approach the said pairs of vice jaws they may be retracted simultaneously out of the way.

The invention further comprises automatic means for determining the extent of advance of the anvils, means for keepin the working parts cool by the circulation of cooling fluid therethrough and various mechanical features of construction as will hereinfater apear. I I

Preferably the means for supplying electric current for heating the work comprises a transformer having a secondary winding, the mid-point of which is'connected to the work by way of the vice jaws and the terminals of which are connected one to one anvil and the other to the other anvil Preferably also the means for supplying electric current comprises a transformer having a movable winding which is yieldingly urged towards the other winding of the transformer for the purpose of affording automatic regulation of the electric current and preventing burning of the work by an undue rise of current as upsetting proceeds. This is particularly necessary in the case of a doubleheaded upsetting machine as large heads may be upset on each sideof a narrow neck of work extending between them which would, apart from some means for of the, ma-

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the control devices and Figure 4 is a connection diagram.

Referring to Figure l the machine comprises a frame 11 of hollow box-shaped construction having longitudinal guideways 12 extending along its upper surface. Upon the guideways 12 are slidably mounted at opposite ends of the frame hydraulically operating cylinders 13. The cylinders 13 are adapted to engage a longitudinal lead screw 14, rotation of which enables them to be moved nearer together or further apart. To this end the lead screw has a right-hand thread at one end and a left-hand thread at the other, and power-operated means are provided for rotating the lead screw which may-beof any desired type and are not shown in the drawings.

Each of the hydraulic cylinders is providedwith an inlet pipe 15 to a valve box 16 and-it contains apiston which operates a piston rod .17. The piston rod 17 engages a cross head 18and upon the cross head 18 is a neck,19 which carries an anvil 20. Pipes 21,

22 are provided for supplying cooling water 1 which iscirculated through the neck 19 into the space immediately behind the working face vof the anvil 20. The working face 23 is'made'removable and is formed of a coppertungsten alloy having a high melting point andresistance to wear while at the same time having. agood conductivity.

.To the cross head 18 there are secured re- F turn connecting rods 24 which extend parallelto the cylinder 13 on either side thereof, passing through vguide lugs 25 cast on the valve box 16. ,At their rear end the connecting rods 24are secured to a second cross head 26. Thecross head 26 is screw threaded to receive an adjustable control screw 27 which may be set at any desired position relatively to the cross head-by means of the handle 28 and locked by the lock nut '29. The front endof the control screw 27 provides an adjustable abutment to engage the stem of a controlvalve located in the valve box 16 concentrically with the screw 27. Thus when fluid pressureisadmitted to the cylinder 13 the anvil 20 is caused to advance until the abutment constituted by the front end of the control screw 27 engages the stem of the valve .in the valve box 16 and cuts off further supply of hydraulic pressure whereupon themovement ceases. If desired, means may be provided carried'by the cross head 18 for simultaneously operating a switch to cut off the electric current from the work but such means'are not'shown in the drawings.

Between the. anvils 20 there is located a vice frame-30which-carries movable pairs of vice jaws. There is a central pair of vice jaws 3-1, 32 and'two lateral pairs 33, 34 towards the left-hand anvil and 35, 36 towards the 65 right-hand anvil. The lower vice jaw 32 of the central pair is fixed. The upper one is operated by a plunger or a fluid pressure cylinder 37 having a supply pipe 38. The cylinder contains a return spring for retracting the jaw when the fluid pressure is removed. The outside or lateral pairs of vice jaws which lie nearest to the anvils 20 are all movable both the upper and the lower jaws, the upper jaws by reason of fluid pressure cylinders 39, 40 and the lower pair by reason of fluid pressure cylinders, shown in dotted lines in the drawings, 41, 42. Springretracting means are again provided. All the pairs of vice jaws are provided with water cooling supply pipes 43 and the jaws are made of a good electrical conductorsuch'as cast bronze as they are employed for conveying the electric current to the work.

The same applies to the vice casting itself.

The parts are insulated from the frame of the machine by any suitable interposed insulating material.

Turning to Figure3, which shows the hydraulic connections. and control valves,in this figure the cylinders 13-are diagrammatically indicated and it will beseen that a single supply .pipe 44 is provided connected to both cylinders by branches-45, ,46. The supply pipe 44 is controlled by a two-way valve 47 which receives pressure from any suitable source of hydraulic pressure by means of a pressure supply pipe 48. When the pressure is cut off from the cylinders 13 they are open to exhaust by the valve 47 through a discharge .pipe 49. The valve 47 iscontrolled by a lever arm 50 connected by a link 51 to a control handle 52 which also appears in Figure 1 of the drawings. Thus both the anvils 20 may becaused to advance towards one anotherbyapplying hydraulic pressure upon operation of the handle 52.

The supply pipe branch 45 is also connected to the pipe 38 which supplies the central movable vice jaw cylinder 37 for closing the vice jaw 31. Thus if a piece of work is laid upon the central vice jaw 32, upon opening the valve 47 the upper vice jaw v31 is closed down upon the work and the work is held firmly inposition as shown-by the workpiece indicated at 53, Figure 1. The anvils 20simultaneouslybegin to advance. Upon engaging the workan electric current immediately begins to flow as hereinafter described, the work becomes heatedandas soon as it is soft enough the anvils press'it up into a head on each side ofthe pair of vice jaws 3'1, 32.

If'the workpiece is too long to be upset cffectively without additional support'the'lateral vice jaws 33,34 and 35, '36 are-closed by operation of a second controljhandle 54. The control handle-54 (see Figure 3-) isconnected by a link 55 to a two-way valve 56 which is connectediby Ja.branch.57 to a fluid pressure supply pipe .48 and by a branch the base of the machine.

58 to the discharge pipe 49. This valve serves to connect at will either to pressure or to exhaust the pipe 59 which supplies the lateral cylinders 39, 40, ll, 42, of the lateral pairs of vice jaws. Thus the lateral vice jaws are closed upon the work and support it from bending, while leaving a portion long enough to be initially upset on the approach toward it of the anvils 20. As soon as the operator sees that these portions have become adequately upset he operates the lever 54 to withdraw the lateral vice jaws and permit a further portion nearer to the centre of the work to be upset.

The electrical connections are shown in Figure 4 where 60 represents a terminal connected to the cross head 1.8 of the left-hand anvil 20 and 61 represents a corresponding terminal connected to the corresponding cross head of the right-hand anvil. 62 represents a mid terminal connected to the vice casting 30. The terminals 60, 61 are connected by heavy flexible leads to the end terminals of the secondary 63 of a transformer located in The mid terminal 62 is also connected to the winding of the secondary of this transformer. The primary 64 of the transformer is connected to the secondary winding 65 of an automatic regulating transformer which is interposed between the electric supply terminals 166, 167 and the step-down transformer 64, 63. The primary winding 66 of the regulating transformer is a fixed winding but the secondary winding 65 is made slidable upon a. vertical core 67 and its weight is partially counterbalanced by a counterweight 6S hung from a balance lever 69 to the other end of which the secondary 6-iis secured. In the operation of the transformers, the windings 65, 66 more strong ly repel one another the more strongly the greater the current which is passed, and by adjusting the counterweight the secondary 65 can be so set that it the current exceeds a desired amount the secondary is repelled to such an extent that the resultant leakage between the primary and secondary reduces the voltage applied to the winding 6% and prevents undue increase of current passed through the work. Thus the tendency of the work to burn or become overheated at the thinnest parts, which is otherwise present is overcome.

I claim 1. In an electric upsetting apparatus the combination of two opposed anvils, means to hold a workpiece so that it extends be tween the anvils, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends, and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously.

2. In an electric upsetting apparatus the combination of two opposed anvils, vice aws between the anvils to hold the WOIlIPlGCQ so that it extends from anvil to anvil, which vice jaws are so movable that as upsetting proceeds the distance of the nearest effective gripping point of the vice jaws from the initial position of the anvil is increased, means to pass. an electric current through each-anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends, and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously.

3. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, a plurality of pairs of vice jaws locatedbetween the anvils side by side for the purpose of holding workpiece so that it extends from anvil to anvil, means for moving selected pairs of vice jaws into and out of engagement with the work, means to pass an electric current through each anvil facewhere it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose or heating the same at both ends and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously.

4. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, a plurality of pairs of power-operated vice jaws located between the anvils side by side for the purpose of holding a workpiece so that it extends from anvil to anvil, means for moving selected pairs of vice jaws into and out of engagement with the work, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously.

5. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, a plurality of pairs of hydraulically-operated vice jaws located between the anvils side by side for the purpose of holding a workpiece 0 that it extends from anvil to anvil, means for moving selected pairs of vice jaws into and out of engagement with the work, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends and means to force the anvils closer together to upset the work at both ends simultaneously. v

6. In an electric upsetting apparatus the combination of two opposed anvils, means to hold a workpiece so that it extends between the anvils, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same both ends and hydraulically acting cylinders to force the anvils closer together.

7 ,Electric upsetting apparatus compris:

ing in combination two opposed anvils, a plurality of pairs of hydraulically-operated vice aws located between the anvils side by side-for the purpose of holding a workpiece so that it extends from anvil to anvil, means for moving selected pairs of vice jaws into and out of engagement with the work, means to pass an electric current through each anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends and hydraulically acting cylinders to force the anvils closer together.

8. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, a vice to hold a workpiece so that it extends between the anvils which consists of at least three pairs of transversely movable vice aws and fluid pressure cylinders to close the Vice aws upon the work, means to pass an electric current through the work between the anvils and the vice jaws, fluid pressure cylinders for forcing the anvils closer together and a single control means for simultaneously closing or retracting both the pairs of vice jaws which lie nearest to the two anvils.

9. Electric upsetting apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein a single control means is provided for simultaneously operating the means for closing the central pair or pairs of vice jaws and the means for forcing the anvils closer together.

10. Electric upsetting apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means for forcing the anvils closer together consist of fluid pressure operated cylinders and a single con trol Valve is provided for simultaneously admitting pressure to the said cylinders and to the means for closing the central pair or pairs of vice jaws.

11. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, fluid pressure operated cylinders for forcing the anvils closer together, means to hold a workpiece so that it extends between the anvils, means to pass an electric current through each'anvil face where it is in contact with the work into or out of the work for the purpose of heating the same at both ends, control valves for each of the fluid pressure operated means for advancing the anvils and adjustable abutments for operating said control valves which are each operatively connected to the corresponding anvil so that the advance of the anvil may be interrupted at a pre-determined point.

12. Electric upsetting apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the fluid pressure operated means for advancing the anvils comprises a hydraulic cyiinder and pistons, a cross head operated thereby, the anvil is mounted upon the cross head, return connecting rods extend from the cross head parallel with the cylinder to the rear thereof, a secondcross head unites the return connecting rods and the abutment consists of a screw threaded through said second cross head.

13. An electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, cross heads carrying said anvils, hydraulic cylinders for advancing said cross heads, a longitudinal lead screw for adjusting the distance between said hydraulic cylinders, means for operating said lead screw, means for holding a workpiece so that it extends between said anvils and means for supplying an electric current to the work to heat the same at both ends.

14. Electric upsetting apparatus comprising in combination two opposed anvils, cross heads supporting said anvils,power-operated means for advancing said cross heads towards one another, means for circulating cooling fluid through said anvils immediately behind the working face thereof, means for holding a workpiece so that it extends between said anvils and means for supplying an electric curc'lrent to the work to heat the same at both en s.

15. Electric upsetting apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means to hold the work so that it extends between the anvils comprise a multiple jaw vice the jaws of which are movable transversely to the line of approach of the anvils into engagementwith the work and means to retract the vice jaws nearest to the anvils as the anvils approach the same.

16. Electric upsetting apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means to hold the work so that it extends between the anvils comprises a vice having multiple pairs of jaws, fluid pressure operated means for closing the central pair of said jaws independently of the pairs of jaws nearest to the anvils and a single control means for operating the pairs of jaws nearest to the anvils whereby they may be retracted simultaneously during advance of the anvils.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GIUSEPPE BENEDETTO. 

